Fresh row erupts after Labour drops disciplinary action against Margaret Hodge
2 min read
A fresh row has erupted over claims by Labour that Margaret Hodge "expressed regret" for calling Jeremy Corbyn "an anti-Semitic racist".
In a humiliating climbdown, Labour general secretary Jennie Formby wrote to the veteran Jewish MP telling her that disciplinary action launched in the wake of her outburst was being dropped.
Barking MP Mrs Hodge - who lost relatives in the Holocaust - hit out at Mr Corbyn after Labour failed to fully adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of anti-Semitism.
She has since repeatedly insisted that she stands by her comments, which were made in the House of Commons to the Labour leader's face.
But a Labour source said: "The general secretary has written to Margaret Hodge to end the investigation into alleged abusive behaviour and inform her that no further action will be taken.
"The letter follows Hodge expressing regret to the chief whip for the manner in which she raised her views."
In a letter to Ms Formby on behalf of Mrs Hodge, lawyers Mishcon de Reya accused her of being "entirely disingenuous".
They said: "You have entirely misrepresented our client's discussions with the opposition chief whip in a cynical attempt to save face in your necessary climbdown."
And the lawyers added: "It is clear you were making the rules up as you went. And even in defeat you have sought to spin your final decision in a disingenuous and false manner."
Mrs Hodge also insisted that there had been "no apologies on either side".
Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell and Labour deputy leader Tom Watson were among the Labour figures who called for the party to drop its action against Mrs Hodge.
The decision to end the proceedings avoids the possibility of a potentially-lengthy legal battle between the former minister and Labour bosses.
However, it is understood that a separate probe into fellow backbencher Ian Austin, who was involved in an angry confrontation with Labour chairman Ian Lavery over the IHRA row, is still ongoing.
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